Venpongal - Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup raw rice
1/4 cup moong dal
4 cups of water
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon Ghee or Oil
A handful of cashews (optional)
Turmeric (optional)
3 tablespoons of milk (optional)
Mix to Grind or temper:
1.5 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 spring of curry leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida/Perungayam
2 green chilli
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
Instructions
Rinse the rice and moong dal. Soak them for 10 minutes.
You can choose to temper or grind the flavours. The advantage of grinding the mix is that you get to taste the complete essence of the mix. If you choose to grind them all, put the ingredients mentioned under the mix to grind in a mixie jar and make it into a coarse mixture.
Pressure cook the rice and dal for 5 whistles, with 4 cups of water. Add a pinch of turmeric powder (optional). Allow the steam to settle and open the whistle.
Place a cooker/pressure pan on the stove. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil. Add the ground mix and cook for 30 seconds in the ghee.
Now add the cooked rice and dal. In case you happen to have leftover rice/dal, you can add the same as well.
Add salt and mix well.
Add 3 tablespoons of milk (optional) and mix well.
You can pressure cook for 1 whistle based on the consistency you prefer.
You can temper cashews until they turn golden and garnish. If you choose to temper than grind, then temper the ingredients mentioned under the mix to temper now and garnish on the Pongal.
Serve hot!